The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate a container and a container engaging member, and in certain embodiments, relate to vacuum filter devices and particularly to such devices for filtering liquids from one container through a membrane and depositing the filtrate directly into another container.
Numerous laboratory devices have been developed to carry out filtration, in order to concentrate, separate and/or purify laboratory samples. Researchers routinely need to concentrate their sample prior to other investigative research. Devices for filtering biological solutions generally involve three primary components, i.e. a membrane filter interposed between two vessels, a feed container located upstream of the membrane for holding the sample solution to be filtered and a filtrate container located downstream of the membrane filter for collecting the filtered sample solution. Typically a vacuum is drawn downstream of the membrane to increase the rate of filtration by creating a pressure differential across the filter.
Several device designs have been made for filtering a feed liquid into a filtrate container. These are typically used to clarify and sterilize biological solutions, such as fetal calf serum, tissue culture media and the like. In certain conventional devices, the user transfers the feed liquid from a storage vessel to the filter device. Vacuum filtration systems such as the STERICUP® system commercially available from EMD Millipore is ideally suited for sterile filtration of cell culture media, buffers and reagents. This device can handle a maximum unfiltered volume of 1 liter based on the size of the feeding funnel. Large volumes can be processed continuously, as determined by the volume of the feed and filtrate storage vessels.
The arrangement of the components for vacuum filtration can take various forms; however, especially in laboratory settings, ease of use, reduced storage requirements and minimal disposable hardware are important concerns as IS avoiding spillage of the biological solution. In certain other applications, preserving the sterility of the solution being filtered is also important.
Various single use, disposable, sterile filtration devices including a funnel and lid attached to a filtration collar, with an attached container, are commercially available. Most of these devices can process volumes ranging from 150 ml to 1000 ml, and offer a filtration top that includes a funnel and lid attached to a filtration collar assembly that one can assemble onto a pre-existing bottle or container. The assembly comes bagged with packaged bottle caps, and are sterilized such as by gamma sterilization. Conventional devices require 1-2 turns to disengage the bottle or container from the filter after filtration is complete. Since the bottle or container is filled with media, this manipulation can lead to possible dripping, spilling, etc., as well as contamination of the sample. This is especially true when operating in a laminar flow cell culture hood, where the sash is open 10-18″ and manipulation is especially difficult.